USPS workers have to contend with a physically and emotionally demanding job as well as the potential of environmental exposure to not only toxins and diseases, to name but a few. Injuries are unfortunately all too common in this environment, and many USPS last mile workers find themselves nursing illnesses or injuries at home as they await determination by OPM.

It is possible to receive benefits after getting injured as a USPS worker thanks to FERS disability compensation program overseen by OPM and mandated by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act which was enacted in 1916, giving all injured workers the right to benefits such as medical care, lost wages, vocational rehabilitation and continuation of pay for up to 45 days.

That said, USPS last mile workers often ask that the injured worker undergo something known as the Fitness-for-Duty or FFD examination which can be anxiety-inducing and raise many questions for the injured party who is not only dealing with health complication as well as the possibility of losing their job on account of their injuries.

Your USPS supervisor may initiate an FFD exam which may feel as if they are pressuring you back to work before you are ready, and you may wonder how this exam may interact with your FERS disability application and whether or not it will jeopardize your disability claim. In this post, we will explain what goes down during this exam as well as expose you to strategies to protect your FERS disability claim and potentially secure your future.

Are you looking for the best FERS disability compensation lawyer? Please call us NOW at (314) 481-63338 to learn more about your legal options for justice and compensation. The experienced FERS disability benefits attorneys at McCready Law bring to the table over three decades of stellar experience where we’ve helped thousands of injured and sick federal workers from different departments recover compensation after getting injured or falling sick on the job.

We help injured USPS workers with the application process, seeing a USPS-conversant physician in order for an objective medical exam to be carried out, as well as act as liaisons between yourself and OPM so you can focus on healing, and not the oftentimes bureaucratic process that is FERS disability compensation.

We understand and empathize with you during this financially difficult time and because of this, we would like to announce the introduction of flat hourly, never-changing fees which we can discuss further and come to an agreement on. In addition, attorney fees must be reviewed by OPM in order to ensure reasonableness and fairness.

We have countrywide reach thanks to our vast network of trusted referral attorneys, and we do all the heavy lifting on your behalf so you can focus on healing as an injured USPS worker. Please give us a call NOW at (314) 481-63338 to learn more about your legal options for justice and compensation as far as FERS disability compensation is concerned – our intake team is standing by.

Fitness-For-Duty Examinations for Injured USPS Workers – Why They Happen

A Fitness-for-Duty or FFD examination is a medical assessment that USPS management orders to check and see if you are medically able to perform the essential functions of your position. It is important to note that this exam is different from pre-employment screenings as well as routine physicals. USPS will typically choose a medical professional who will conduct the exam, who will typically be either an agency medical officer or a contract doctor.

This examination is initiated due to the following circumstances:

1. Medical Restrictions – When you provide OPM or your supervisor with medical documentation which shows limitations preventing you from carrying out essential job functions, they will initiate an exam to prove you cannot perform these duties
2. Prolonged Absence – If you stay away from work for an extended amount of time due to illness or injury, they may ask that you undergo FFD before returning to work
3. Workplace Safety Concerns – If your medical condition puts you or others at risk of injury or illness, this exam shall be carried out in the interest of public safety.
4. Accommodation Requests – This is a standard exam for those seeking reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Depending on the FFD Examination Report, the following outcomes may materialize:

1. You may be asked to return to your regular employment
2. You may be asked to return albeit with temporary or permanent medical restrictions
3. You may be provided with reasonable accommodation or an alternative or even modified position
4. You may be removed from your position if found unfit for duty and no reasonable accommodation or alterative position is available.

Conflict Between FFD Examinations and FERS Disability Compensation

FFD and FERS disability compensation may clash due to a number of factors. To begin with, the first one is looking to assess whether you are able to perform job duties for USPS and seeking reasons why you can return to work, albeit with accommodations.

FERS disability compensation on the other hand is meant to determine whether you are permanently unable to perform any efficient and useful service due to your injury or illness for the purpose of providing you with long-term retirement benefits. Therefore, while an FFD examination is looking for ability to work, FERS disability is looking for inability.

How to Strengthen Your FERS Disability Compensation Claim

Regardless of an FFD Examination request, there are things you can do to strengthen your FERS disability claim. For starters, make sure that all reports from your treating physicians are thorough and detailed in their diagnosis, prognosis and functional limitations. In particular, include results that have objective tests such as X-rays, MRIs, psychological evaluations and nerve conduction studies.

In addition, ask your supervisor to provide you with a written, detailed statement going over your job duties and how your medical condition has negatively affected your attendance, job performance and even your ability to complete essential tasks such as sorting mail and packages at the center. Last but not least, endeavor to keep accurate detailed records of all reasonable accommodation requests you have made to the agency as well as their responses as this demonstrates good faith with regard to continued collaboration with the agency and their inability to accommodate your condition.

Best FERS Disability Compensation Lawyers for USPS Workers – Call Us Today!

After all’s said and done however, the most important thing you can do for yourself and your future is to reach out to our best FERS disability compensation attorneys NOW at (314) 481-63338 so you can get timely and custom advice regarding your particular issue and injury, and how we as your best countrywide FERS disability benefits lawyers can help expedite the process along so you can be approved for your benefits in no time. Remember, the call is 100% FREE, and there is no legal obligation. Thanks for choosing McCready Law, and we look forward to helping you.